Mormon Tabernacle Choir to mark 9/11 anniversary

Tom Brokaw serves as guest narrator for a special "Music and the Spoken Word" airing Sunday at 10 a.m. on Ch. 5. (LDS Church)

SALT LAKE CITY — Commemorating the horrific day 10 years ago when passenger aircraft commandeered by terrorists destroyed New York City's World Trade Center and damaged the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., with another plane crashing in Pennsylvania in an aborted attempt to inflict further damage, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square have prepared a special 9/11 memorial performance of their nationwide radio and television broadcast "Music and the Spoken Word" to be broadcast Sunday.

The program airs locally at 9:30 a.m. on KSL-TV Ch. 5.

Tom Brokaw, who was anchor of the "NBC Nightly News" from 1982 to 2004, is guest narrator on the pre-recorded program, which highlights how Americans have risen above the loss and grief of that day.

(LDS Church)

Mack Wilberg, music director for the choir, said, "As much sorrow and grief as came from 9/11, there have also come positives."

"In this program, we wanted to show how the indomitable American spirit turned a tragedy into a triumph of coming together and caring and serving. The message of this show is that, as individuals and as a nation, we can find healing and strength in adversity and literally rise above all the negatives."

Wilberg described guest narrator Brokaw as "gracious, charming and a privilege to work with." He added, "It was kind of fun that 'Shenandoah,' one of the songs in the program, is a favorite of his."

The special program, titled "9/11: Rising Above," will be broadcast on approximately 750 stations and networks in the United States and Canada.

A large number of the stations, (including many NBC network affiliates) will be carrying "Music and the Spoken Word" for the first time. Air times and station information can be found at www.musicandthespokenword.org or by checking local listings.

KSL-TV and KSL Radio, the program's originating stations, will air it several times on Sept. 11, and BYU Broadcasting has planned an extensive airing schedule on its various outlets.

Those who come to Temple Square on Sept. 11 will see a different presentation that is being recorded for later airing.